More Info About Free 2-Day Standard Ground Shipping

Most orders will ship free and arrive at your door in just two business days. However, if one or more items in your cart is less than 1 lb, overweight/ oversized, shipping to a PO box, shipped from the manufacturer directly, shipped from a store location or if the order is held for credit card verification, it may take up to five days to arrive if you select standard ground shipping method.

To verify which products/locations are available for free two-day standard ground shipping, enter your shipping zip code during checkout. Your zip code will be used to confirm that your items qualify.

The Free Two-Day Shipping icon will appear next to the items that typically arrive in two days.

If you need a guaranteed delivery date, you must select an expedited shipping method (either next-day air or two-day air) during checkout. Expedited shipping is the only way to guarantee a specified delivery date.

ESP LTD James Hetfield Snakebyte Electric Guitar Snow White

Item #:

1290447864272

AAO

5.012
Reviews

Write a Review

The James Hetfield Snakebyte is coiled and ready to strike. The modified EX body an all-mahogany and neck construction, ebony fretboard with 22 extra-jumbo frets, and venomous EMG active humbuckers. T... Read More

The James Hetfield Snakebyte is coiled and ready to strike. The modified EX body an all-mahogany and neck construction, ebony fretboard with 22 extra-jumbo frets, and venomous EMG active humbuckers. The metal logo headstock and fretboard snake inlay warn all who approach to tread lightly or be infected from an extremely heavy bite. It has a set-neck construction at 24.75" scale, with a mahogany body and neck, and an ebony fingerboard with 22 XJ frets. The Snakebyte comes with a bunch of high-end components, including ESP locking tuners, ESP straplocks, a Tonepros locking bridge/tailpiece, and EMG JH Het Set active pickups.
Includes hardshell case.

Features

Body

Body shape: Other

Body type: Solid body

Body material: Solid wood

Top wood: Not applicable

Body wood: Mahogany

Body finish: Satin

Orientation: Right handed

Neck

Neck shape: Thin U

Neck wood: Mahogany 3-piece

Joint: Neck-through

Scale length: 24.75"

Truss rod: Standard

Neck finish: Satin

Fretboard

Material: Ebony

Radius: Not specified

Fret size: Extra-jumbo

Number of frets: 22

Inlays: Pearloid snake

Nut width: 1.656" (42mm)

Pickups

Configuration: HH

Neck: James Hetfield

Middle: Not applicable

Bridge: James Hetfield

Brand: EMG

Active or passive: Active

Series or parallel: Series

Piezo: No

Active EQ: No

Special electronics: None

Controls

Control layout: Master volume, tone

Pickup switch: 3-way

Coil tap or split: No

Kill switch: No

Hardware

Bridge type: Fixed

Bridge design: Tune-o-matic

Tailpiece: Stopbar

Tuning machines: ESP locking

Color: Black

Other

Number of strings: 6-string

Special features: Signature model

Case: Hardshell case

Accessories: None

Country of origin: Info not available

Warranty

MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY
Limited lifetime warranty on all guitars.One year warranty on parts and electronics.

Before you read this review, bear in mind that it comes from a guitarist who both dislikes signature model guitars AND active pickups. With that said, it's time to talk guitar. I've had...Read complete review

Before you read this review, bear in mind that it comes from a guitarist who both dislikes signature model guitars AND active pickups. With that said, it's time to talk guitar. I've had the privilege of owning my own LTD Snakebyte for almost 6 months now and let me tell you, it is a magical instrument in its own right. First of all, this guitar is lighter than you'd expect it to be, and it is built like a tank. ESP makes no compromises with their LTD line. I would still play this guitar if I could afford ESP guitars, if that's any indicator of how great it is. When mine shipped, the ebony fingerboard had a polished-looking finish to it. This wore away after a few months of playing, but I think the lack of the polished look lets the true beauty of the ebony show. The pearl snake inlay on the 12th fret looks stunning against the board and the black hardware as do the the pearl dot inlays. The guitar is pretty flexible for various playing positions. I've played using the traditional "barstool" style, the classical position (which I prefer when sitting down), and, of course, standing up. This guitar (which will come as a shocker to those who stay away from more extreme-shapes like this one) will work with you no matter how you position yourself to play (and the cutaway on the bottom of the guitar works exceptionally well for the classical sitting position). Now let's go to the pickups. I had tried out this guitar back when it had the 81/60 combo and again when it got updated with the JH pickups. The original had the same issue that, in my opinion, guitars with active pickups tend to have: while all of sound ranges were well balanced and the pickups were really hot without getting muddy, they sounded stale. Enter the Het Set. I wish James Hetfield had thought of these sooner, because they blow me away. Take an 81/60 combo, add some meat and balls, and you get the Het Set. The enhanced lower end along with the more focused magnetic field of the pole pieces gives these pickups a life and harmonic richness that no other active pickup could hope to have. You can actually FEEL the punch and harmonics these pickups possess. Their only weakness is that when you roll back the volume knob, they don't clean up all that much, but there is a noticeable difference. If you want clean tones, you're gonna have to use the clean channel on your amp. Even then, the pickups are so hot that you'll have to roll back the volume knob to make sure the signal doesn't distort from hitting the strings too hard. I'm passionate about passive pickups, but these will be my go-to pickups should I ever want active pickups in any of my guitars. I like simplicity, and the Snakebyte delivers. There are only 2 volume knobs to keep the electronics layout simple, and locking tuners, which makes string-changes so much easier and faster. One more detail i must mention is that though this guitar has James Hetfield's name on it,Metallica sounds aren't the only thing this guitar is capable of. I've been able to dial in my own sound with this guitar and I play music that is influenced by Metallica as well as the Misfits, the Offspring, and Aerosmith. So far, the only upgrades I plan on making to this guitar involve swapping the plastic nut for a TUSQ XL nut and having the frets fine-tuned to minimize buzzing as much as possible. Otherwise, this guitar is perfect as is. If you want an Explorer-style guitar, but want something that looks a little different without looking too extreme and is loaded with killer features, buy this guitar. You will be glad you did.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

Downgrade... Not what it SHOULD be.

This review is an update from one previously submitted: Downgrade. Features: Has nice features - locking tuners, tom bridge, EMG 81/60 active pickups, set neck, came with a nice case....Read complete review

This review is an update from one previously submitted: Downgrade. Features: Has nice features - locking tuners, tom bridge, EMG 81/60 active pickups, set neck, came with a nice case. Quality & Reliability: Nice hardware. However, I've had two of these guitars in the last 7 months and both have had problems with the neck. They don't appear to have a stable neck, causes string action to "mysteriously" rise too high in a short time, requires alot of re-adjustment, produces annoying open string buzz, constant re-tuning after short periods. Seems high maintenance for such high priced guitar. -- Have two cheaper guitars, fewer neck issues (other manufacturers). Look & Feel: Looks killer! Love it. Feel great. Well balanced. Not heavy. Sounds great (if you can deal with fret buzz). Bottom Line: I like this guitar. I HATE having to re-tune/readjust neck and action constantly. Knowing what I know now, I'd buy a different explorer type guitar (until ESP/LTD check in and figure how to handle quality control - glad they don't make medical devices or airplanes!!)

This is an absolutely amazing guitar, and I would recommend it to any Metallica fan or just a metal fan. It plays every genre of music well but is really able to push those rough metal riffs and has never failed me. The neck back has a gloss finish yet is still extremely smooth. The contours on the guitar's body are just right to match the angle of your arm resting on it. The ebony fretboard is easily the smoothest fretboard that I have ever felt.

Before you read this review, bear in mind that it comes from a guitarist who both dislikes signature model guitars AND active pickups. With that said, it's time to talk guitar. I've had the privilege of owning my own LTD Snakebyte for almost 6 months now and let me tell you, it is a magical instrument in its own right. First of all, this guitar is lighter than you'd expect it to be, and it is built like a tank. ESP makes no compromises with their LTD line. I would still play this guitar if I could afford ESP guitars, if that's any indicator of how great it is. When mine shipped, the ebony fingerboard had a polished-looking finish to it. This wore away after a few months of playing, but I think the lack of the polished look lets the true beauty of the ebony show. The pearl snake inlay on the 12th fret looks stunning against the board and the black hardware as do the the pearl dot inlays. The guitar is pretty flexible for various playing positions. I've played using the traditional "barstool" style, the classical position (which I prefer when sitting down), and, of course, standing up. This guitar (which will come as a shocker to those who stay away from more extreme-shapes like this one) will work with you no matter how you position yourself to play (and the cutaway on the bottom of the guitar works exceptionally well for the classical sitting position). Now let's go to the pickups. I had tried out this guitar back when it had the 81/60 combo and again when it got updated with the JH pickups. The original had the same issue that, in my opinion, guitars with active pickups tend to have: while all of sound ranges were well balanced and the pickups were really hot without getting muddy, they sounded stale. Enter the Het Set. I wish James Hetfield had thought of these sooner, because they blow me away. Take an 81/60 combo, add some meat and balls, and you get the Het Set. The enhanced lower end along with the more focused magnetic field of the pole pieces gives these pickups a life and harmonic richness that no other active pickup could hope to have. You can actually FEEL the punch and harmonics these pickups possess. Their only weakness is that when you roll back the volume knob, they don't clean up all that much, but there is a noticeable difference. If you want clean tones, you're gonna have to use the clean channel on your amp. Even then, the pickups are so hot that you'll have to roll back the volume knob to make sure the signal doesn't distort from hitting the strings too hard. I'm passionate about passive pickups, but these will be my go-to pickups should I ever want active pickups in any of my guitars. I like simplicity, and the Snakebyte delivers. There are only 2 volume knobs to keep the electronics layout simple, and locking tuners, which makes string-changes so much easier and faster. One more detail i must mention is that though this guitar has James Hetfield's name on it,Metallica sounds aren't the only thing this guitar is capable of. I've been able to dial in my own sound with this guitar and I play music that is influenced by Metallica as well as the Misfits, the Offspring, and Aerosmith. So far, the only upgrades I plan on making to this guitar involve swapping the plastic nut for a TUSQ XL nut and having the frets fine-tuned to minimize buzzing as much as possible. Otherwise, this guitar is perfect as is. If you want an Explorer-style guitar, but want something that looks a little different without looking too extreme and is loaded with killer features, buy this guitar. You will be glad you did.

Features: I had one heck of a time trying to get this guitar. I must have ordered four times before I was successful. A frustration spanning 3 months, when I finally received it in the mail, I was more than happy. I have been listening to Metallica since I was 10 years old (now 26). The features on this guitar are incredible. Not only do you feel like James Hetfield when you play it, it sounds amazing. The HetSet pickups are one of the most defining features about the guitar. It delivers an awesome tone that definitely stands out from the rest. For me, I think it shines the most when using clean tone. It was a sound that was right up there with Petrucci's signature or a Les Paul. Not only that, this guitar is insanely light. This guitar is one that I definitely will never sell back to the store.

I just received my Snakebyte and I have to say it is totally worth every penny! This guitar plays and sounds great. The EMG pick ups are amazing and the feel is just right. If you are looking for a great sounding guitar with that Hetfield feel then this is for you! Good luck and keep jamming!

This review is an update from one previously submitted: Downgrade. Features: Has nice features - locking tuners, tom bridge, EMG 81/60 active pickups, set neck, came with a nice case. Quality & Reliability: Nice hardware. However, I've had two of these guitars in the last 7 months and both have had problems with the neck. They don't appear to have a stable neck, causes string action to "mysteriously" rise too high in a short time, requires alot of re-adjustment, produces annoying open string buzz, constant re-tuning after short periods. Seems high maintenance for such high priced guitar. -- Have two cheaper guitars, fewer neck issues (other manufacturers). Look & Feel: Looks killer! Love it. Feel great. Well balanced. Not heavy. Sounds great (if you can deal with fret buzz). Bottom Line: I like this guitar. I HATE having to re-tune/readjust neck and action constantly. Knowing what I know now, I'd buy a different explorer type guitar (until ESP/LTD check in and figure how to handle quality control - glad they don't make medical devices or airplanes!!)

This guitar is amazing! I have purchased a Snakebyte LTD and it is a bargain for what you get. I have a John Petrucci JPX and the Snakebyte LTD sounds amazing for Metal, the likes of Metallica and Megadeth, compared to the JPX (obviously not as versatile as a JPX, but we are talking about a guitar 3 times the price of the Snakebyte LTD anyways). The passive James Hetfield EMG pickups (please, note the new models does not come with active pickups anymore) makes the difference. The guitar is super light and very confortable. This is perfect for crunchy metal types of rythm guitar. On a high gain amplifier like a Mesa dual rect or a Mark V you get that perfect Metallica live tone. And I must say this is a real bargain for what you get. This guitar sounds and has components as $3000 guitar do.

Had a problem with the neck on the original LTD Snakebyte I ordered. There was a heavy buzzing on the low E string. Truss rod problem discovered when trying to adjust it. The fellas at GC in Oakdale, MN took good care of me and had it sent back to ESP and ordered me a new one. New one came a month later and I'm extremely happy with it. No buzzing on this one. The guitar is surprisingly light. Looks like a big meaty guitar, but is comfortable to hold and play sitting or standing. The somewhat large guitar body doesn't seem cumbersome when playing. Seems well balanced and not terribly heck heavy. EMG 60/81 pickups, ebony fretboard, sperzel locking tuners. Sounds great, looks good, feels good. Wasn't crazy about the modified shape at first. Now I just love it. Looks different, but has familiar Explorer feel. Very happy with this purchase.

Being a fan of both Metallica and Explorer body shapes, it was only natural that I try out this guitar. After reading its specs on ESP's site and seeing various demos and reviews, I headed straight for Guitar Center. ESP never lists their prices, so I was really surprised by the price tag when I got my hands on this guitar. I'm even more surprised that a budget guitar could have these kinds of features. Locking tuners, well-dressed frets, ebony fingerboard, solid knobs and hardware. What caught my eye was the metal LTD logo on the headtsock, but overall, this guitar looks incredible. Also, the shape of the body felt better on my leg than most other Explorer-shaped guitars. LTD never ceases to impress me. The EMGs are excellent pickups, and combined with the mahogany neck & body and ebony fingerboard, the guitar's sound when putting an amp into overdrive can only be described as ruthless. When palm muted, it chugs like an oversized steam train. When playing pinch harmonics, it squeals without choking or fading out. The sound in all ranges and all frets sounds very pronounced and clear. When using a clean signal, the guitar can either sound really pure or very eerie (this is a virtue for dark-sounding compositions), depending on how you set up the amp. For the price, this guitar is downright incredible. You get what you pay for and then some. I am typically against buying artist series guitars since they typically feature some sort of stand-outish graphic of theirs, but this guitar only features a small, easy-to-miss copy of James Hetfield's signature on the truss rod cover. It just looks and feels like it can be anyone's instrument. I will definitely be investing in this guitar in the future.

I got mine the other day and I already love it. The EMG 60 is perfect for clean sounds and the 81 is awesome for distortion. This guitar is perfect for any Metallica fan or metal fan. The balance is good and the guitar wont dive down. This is my new favorite guitar and ESP does a great job of building it. I recommend this guitar to any rock musician.